Electrical receptacle



June 2, 1925- 1,540,330

' P. HARTMANN ELECTRI GAL RECEPTACLE Filed Sept. 30. 1922 W E93. 7 Z

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 2, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

PAUL HARTMANN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES L. EIDLITZ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y A'ND ONE- HALF TO METROPOLITAN ELECTRIC MFG. 60., A CORPORATION OFNEN JERSEY.

- ELECTRICAL nncnr'racnn.

Application filed September 30, 1922. Serial No. 591,4?8.

To all whom it may concern:

-Be it known that 1, PAUL HAR'rMAnN,

a subject of the King of Denmark, res ding at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and 5 State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Receptacles, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to electrical receptacles, switch devices and the like, such as are commonl set into the wall, and relates more particu arly to the means for securing such receptacles or devices to the wall box or other supporting member in the wall.

The so-called flush or base-board receptacles, for example, have a moulded orcelain or other composition body mem er in which are contained the electrical contact parts, and it is common practice to secure this body member to the wall box b means of a metallic strap which surroun s the body member on three sides and has out turned ends which are screwed to the wall box. Such straps are usually fastened to the body member by means of one or more screws which pass through the strap and into the rear face of the body member, and it will be understood that this not only necessitates the rovision of some metallic member in the body in which screw threads can be formed, but also adds to the labor and expense of assembly.

An object of my invention is to provide a construction for this purpose which will be simpler and cheaper and will facilitate the operation of assembly. Another object is security of attachment combined with reasonable facility in disassembly, whenever for any reason it becomes necessary to remove the strap from the body 'member.

' 1 Still other objects and advanta s of my invention will appear from the ollowingdescription.

In accordance with my invention I so construct the strap and body that they will automatically lock together as they are assembled. This is perhaps best accomplished by providing in one or both arms of the U- shape strap, a resilient, struck-out ton e which projects slightly inwardly and catc es over a shoulder in the bod formed by making a depress-ion in the en wall as the strap is move to its place over the body.

I shall now describe the illustrated embodlment of my invention, and shall thereafter point out my invent-ion in claims.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a receptacle embodying my invent1on 1n place in awall;

F 1g. 2 is a transverse section of the same on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective of my improved strap.

The receptacle body 1 is molded of porcelain or a suitable composition and may beof any desired internal construction. A groove 2 is formed around three sides of the receptacle, namely, the bottom and its two ends, the depth and width of the groove being such as to take the ordinary metallic strap. Arelatively narrow notch or inwardly extendmg ofi-set is formed in the groove 2 1n each end wall by providing a recess or slot 3 1n the upper end of the groove in each end wall, which slots terminate in a shoulder 4 a substantial distance back from the front face of the receptacle body.

The retaining strap 5 is of generally U- shape with the ends turned outwardl and provided with screw holes in the usua way.

In each arm of this strap there is struck out a longitudinal spring tongue portion 6 attached at its upper end and bent inwardly so that its lower or free end extends slightly beyond the inner face of the arm. The strap is of such a size to fit snugly within the groove and it is assembled on the body by entermg the groove between the two arms of the strap and pressing the strap and body together until the tongues 6 snap over the shoulders 4, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The two members are thus firmly secured together, but may be easily separated by insertlng an implement between the end walls of the body and the inner faces of the arms of the strap until thevtongues 6 are forced out enough to release them from the shouloutwardly turned'ends of the strap 3 extend over these ears with their screw holes registermg with those m the cars, so that a single screw on each end secures the two members together and to the baseboard. The whole device is then covered with a suitable plate 10.

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in the construction shown in the drawlngs and above particularly described within the principle and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. For an electrical receptacle or the like, a body member recessed in at least one of its ends to provide a transn-rse shoulder at 'the rear end of the recess, and a substantially U-shape strap embracing the body member along the latters rear face and two end Walls and having in at least one of its arms an inwardly and rearwardly extending spring tongue adapted to be received in the said recess and snap over the said shoulder of the body member as the parts are assembled, whereby the parts are positively locked against separation and may be unlocked by a tool inserted behind the tongue from the front end of the recess.

2. For an electrical receptacle or the like, a body member recessed to receive a strap across its rear face and along its end walls and having the recess in each end wall deepened from the outer face of the body member for a substantial distance rearwardl and terminating in a shoulder, and a su stantially U-shape strap seated in said recess and having in each arm a struck-out inwardly and rearwardly extending spring tongue in position to snap over the respective shoulder as the parts are assen' bled, whereby the parts are positively locked against separation and may be unlocked by a tool inserted behind the tongues from the open end of the respective slots.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my signature.

PAUL HARTMANN. 

